Actions

White House shows documents to defend Jackson on car accident, some questions over pills

Posted: 8:18 AM, Apr 28, 2018

Updated:2018-04-28 13:18:39Z

By:
CNN

A White House official showed CNN documents that the official claims exonerate Dr. Ronny Jackson from some allegations that he inappropriately dispensed pills and that he wrecked a government vehicle after leaving a Secret Service going-away party.

The official said Jackson has returned to the White House Medical Unit but has not returned as President Donald Trump's physician. The official says it is unclear if that will happen. Another physician has been serving as the President's doctor since Jackson's nomination.

The White House military office pulled records from the General Services Administration showing three different vehicle incidents, all of which occurred during work hours, involving Jackson from 2013 through 2017. The incident reports involve a bus striking Jackson's government vehicle, a car rear-ending his vehicle and a road rage incident involving another driver banging on Jackson's window. There is no evidence in the documents provided that Jackson was drinking on the job. The official says, "there would have to be a massive cover-up or government conspiracy for him to crash a government vehicle without any paperwork."

Other records provided are six audits from Walter Reed Medical Center over the last two and a half years that shows the White House Medical Unit was in compliance with securely storing prescription drugs. The routine audits did make procedural recommendations aside from being in compliance with storing medication.

"There is nothing [in these documents] that would make you think 'candy man' is appropriate," the official said, referring to Democratic Montana Sen. Jon Tester's claim, citing sources who spoke to his committee, that Jackson was called that for handing out medication like "candy."

The official said they showed the documents "to defend the President's remarks (about Jackson) and to defend his reputation."